BVI’s D’Moi Hodge creates history, breaks US college basketball record!

Missour’s D’Moi Hodge (5) heads to the basket in this NCAA college basketball game in 2022. Photo credit: AP

By MERRICK ANDREWS, Online News Editor

(JTV News) — British Virgin Islands guard, D’Moi Hodge, representing the University of Missouri, created history on Wednesday night when he broke the Missouri Tiger’s all-time record for most steals in one season.

Hodge achieved this feat during the Tigers’ 81-76 comeback victory against Louisiana State University (LSU) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Missouri men’s team, with Hodge’s help, overcame a 19-point deficit.

Hodge ended the game with 23 points and five steals.

“I could write a whole story about how it feels to be in the History books but I’M NOT DONE YET… So I‘ll wait a lil,” Hodge wrote on his Facebook profile page on Thursday.

The Columbia Daily Tribune reported that Hodge entered the game with 73 steals and left with 77, breaking the 76 set by Lynn Hardy during the 1986-87 campaign.

“The record-breaking steal came with 11:34 remaining in the game, and Hodge turned it into a three-pointer to tie the game at 59. It was the first time Missouri had pulled even with LSU since the Bayou Bengals hit a three-pointer just 12 seconds into the first half,” the Tribune reported.

Hodge was reported as saying by the Tribune that he didn’t really know how many steals he had until after the game.

“I was never thinking about the records during the game. I just keep telling (MU athletics associate director of strategic communications) Jason (Veniskey), I don’t want to break it away, I want to break it at home,” Hodge said.

According to the Tribune: “Hodge’s journey with Missouri coach Dennis Gates started when he joined Gates’ Cleveland State team before his junior year. Hodge liked Gates anyway, but the deal was sealed when the coach flew to the British Virgin Islands to meet his family.

“The guard, who joined Cleveland State after a stint at State College of Florida, soon met Tre Gomillion and Deante “Spider” Johnson, who taught him how to be more competitive about defense. Gates also hands out a defensive award after every game, which further motivated him.”

Hodge said in the Tribune that at Cleveland State it was always personal.

“…Part of the joy of playing defense, trying to win that award after every game, that was the biggest thing starting off and it just carried on for the rest of my career,” he was quoted as saying.

Hodge is reportedly in his final season of eligibility and will be honored along with eight of his teammates during Missouri’s senior day ceremony before its regular season finale against Ole Miss, the Tribune reported.